To a solution of 4-[2-(4-iodo-phenoxy)-acetylamino]-thiophene-3-carboxylic acid methyl ester (0.1 g, 0.428 mmol) in a mixture of tetrahydrofuran (21 mL) and water (5 mL) was added 4-fluorophenylboronic acid (40.3 mg, 0.288 mmol) and cesium carbonate (313 mg, 0.96 mmol). The solution was then degassed by bubbling a flux of argon for 20 minutes before adding polymer bound tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium (Aldrich-511579, 12.86 mg, 0.009 mmol). The reaction mixture was then stirred for 90 min at 80° C. under argon atmosphere before allowing to cool down to room temperature and diluting with ethyl acetate. The reaction mixture was then filtered; the filtrate was then washed twice with brine and dried over sodium sulfate before being concentrated in vacuo. The residue was then filtered through a pad of silica (SiO2, EtOAc, 100%) to yield the title compound as a light brown solid (138 mg, 99%).
